


we can make it so divine

by theredvipers



Series: the way that i feel [2]
Category: John Wick (Movies), Ocean's (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, au where danny is daniil tarasov, i have lost control of my life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 00:41:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14801054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theredvipers/pseuds/theredvipers
Summary: When his father asks for his help to steal back a family relic, Danny Ocean has no choice but to remember he was born Daniil Tarasov, and that his past is catching up to him. Throw in John Wick to the mix, and Danny might have a hard time walking away from the Tarasov family again.





	we can make it so divine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [itsreallylizzy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsreallylizzy/gifts).



> hm. no excuse as per usual. thanks to lizzy for reading my nonsense. i want to keep working on this but i just had surgery so it'll be a while before i do.  
> please excuse any mistakes, english is not my first language.

John Wick was every bit the interesting man all the tales surrounding him suggested, and yet he was nothing like the Baba Yaga whose name everyone whispered out of fear he would come for them. He was quiet, a good listener, and did as he was told. He reminded Danny a bit of Rusty, except they were polar opposites, but the thing they had in common is that they knew how to listen, knew how to make Danny’s ideas into a reality. Except Rusty did that because of the friendship between them, and John did it because Danny’s father was his employer.

Danny had been around New York before, he had just never let his father know. Viggo must have found out. He’d seen the folder John had left on the coffee table, and he’d peaked through it; a summary of what Danny had been up to the years after he’d begged his father to not make him the heir to the bratva. He was impressed, and wondered who Viggo had hired to find out that information. Maybe he’d even contacted one of the guys. The point was, Danny was back to square zero: a pawn in his father’s game.

He knew Viggo loved him. _Blood of my blood_ , he’d whispered before he’d sent John off with him, _welcome home_ . But people like his father didn’t just love; they loved power, they loved the position that came from it. They didn’t just love to _love_. Viggo probably saw Danny and Iosef and thought of legacy, of what would be said of him years after he died and one of them took over. He probably also saw in them a threat to said legacy. Maybe that had been the reason he had let Danny walk away all those years ago. Maybe he didn’t want the son’s name to overshadow the father’s.

Iosef was no such threat. He was hotheaded, brash, thought the world needed to do what he wished it to do just because he was a Tarasov. His father often complained, the few times Danny had called. Iosef is going to throw away all my hard work, he used to say. A suggestion Danny should step up to his original role as the heir to the bratva.

But he had tried to stay away from it all. Being a thief was not honorable in society’s eyes, but it was what Danny was good at. And then he’d messed up and gotten himself into this mess. He did care about the Fabergé. His grandfather hadn’t been a sweet old man, but he’d taught Danny everything he knew, from picking locks to batting his lashes to get himself out of situations. He’d loved that egg more than life itself in part because of the tale behind it, in part because his grandmother had also been fond of it. Danny would do this for him, and then go back to his life. There were still many places he could get a pretty coin out of, and compared to the security around the stolen egg - his father sure hadn’t been lying - the security around many of those places was nowhere near as good.

He fell asleep and didn’t dream, and he woke up to a hand on his shoulder, and a deep voice whispering. “It’s almost 10, Danny.”

Danny almost rolled over and fell out of bed because of the surprise. John Wick stood on the right side of his bed, his tall figure leaning over it. He did look like what a boogeyman would look, dressed in black, he was death’s emissary, and Danny’s protector while this whole thing lasted. Danny barely held his reaction back, and blinked away the remnants of sleep. “Oh. Thanks, John.” he barely remembered telling the other man to wake him up so they could begin the planning, but John frowned before he went back to his usual stone-like expression. A very attractive statue, at that, Danny thought, and steered away from it before his mind went places. It was morning, for christ’s sake.

Before John could speak,  Danny knew his reaction had also affected John, and said, “Don’t worry, you did scare me, but it’s because I didn’t remember asking you to wake me.” He patted John’s arm, and then sat on the bed as John retreated from his personal space. “Thanks for waking me. God knows I’d love to sleep the day away.”

“You could, and I’ll do what you tell me to.” John retorted.

Danny contemplated the possibility before he dismissed it. It wouldn’t be fair, especially because he knew that if anyone messed up, it’d be his fault, and he didn’t need to bring John down with him. “Nah, it’s alright. See you downstairs.” and with that, John got out of the room.

Danny’s head hit his pillow again, and he considered another thirty minutes of sleep, but got out of bed before he could entertain that any more. Once he went downstairs, breakfast had been served. Some eggs with bacon, and a cup of coffee to wash it down. John sat in the living room, most likely waiting for his orders.

“You’re not eating?” Danny asked as he descended the stairs. John looked up and shook his head. “Well, have you?” John nodded, and before Danny thought about it too much, he said, “Hm. Wanna have a cup of coffee with me, at least?”

John got up and sat himself down on the table just as Danny entered the kitchen. He felt… weird about it, especially because John went about things as if they were all orders. Old habits die hard. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to…” Danny said, sitting himself down.

“It’s fine,” John said, sipping from his own cup of coffee.

Danny shrugged. “Look, big guy. I’m Viggo’s son, but I’m not your boss. Hell, I didn’t even ask for a bodyguard, so you can relax, alright? Think of us…. not as friends… but acquaintances. Like two roommates working on a project.” Danny said, concentrating on his plate of eggs and bacon, and after he’d used a fork to eat some of it, he’d pointed it at John, “That’s exactly what we are, actually. You know how in some places, roommates change after the semester is over? That’s it. You don’t have to act like I’m your boss, because once this is over you won’t have to see me again. So, no pressure. You can loosen up a bit.” It wasn’t like Danny was holding himself back, and he knew he could come off a bit cocky and spoiled brat-like to people, or at least Rusty said so. _Not everyone likes your brand of charm, Danny._

John Wick looked like one of those people who’d absolutely hate Danny’s guts on sight, and yet he’d been overly-polite. It just didn’t sit well with Danny, especially because John was his father’s henchman--hitman? He worked for Viggo, and Danny had also never liked to feel like people only liked him because they had to.

“Sorry.” John said from behind his cup of coffee as he took another sip.

Danny shook his head. “It’s not--don’t apologize. It’s just--well, forget it. But I just don’t want you to act like I’m your boss, alright? We can even be friends, or whatever. Just. Drop that.”

“You _are_ Viggo’s son,” John offered, as an explanation that made sense in his head, probably. Danny tried to understand. This man had been employed by Viggo for God knows how long. It was only natural that he saw Danny as an extension of Viggo, Danny supposed, but that didn't sit well with him.

“His son, not his _heir_ .” Danny replied. “Iosef would appreciate the _you’re-my-boss_ act. I’m never going to be your boss. So, just act… normal, I guess. Like we’re workmates,” Danny added.

The rest of his meal wasn’t silent, but that was because Danny made small talk and John limited himself to nodding or to short replies, but he was as polite as ever, and maybe Danny had been imagining it, but he’d even looked a bit more relaxed.

They went over the maps Viggo had provided carefully, and in that aspect, John turned out to be extremely helpful, too. He’d pointed out alternative routes of escape in case the ones Danny suggested wouldn’t work, and he’d also pointed out that this particular rival of his father’s - some other russian mafia leader, Danny guessed - wasn’t as tight with security as Viggo was.

“Guess he’s pretending he didn’t steal the egg.” Danny suggested.

“It’s well known he was the one who did it,” John replied. “But yes, he is pretending. He fears what Viggo would do at confirmation.”

_He’d send you_ , Danny thought, but didn’t say out loud. John knew well what he was, that people called him Baba Yaga. Danny didn’t feel like reminding him. He already felt like John thought Danny was as scared of him as everyone else was, and Danny had been, but he’d quickly been over it; good thieves had to learn to not fear, not even boogeymen. Maybe John had been apprehensive because he didn’t want Danny to fear him, but Danny knew fear and distrust didn’t make the best partners for heists.

“Hm,” Danny kept looking at the blueprints Viggo had gotten for him. “I hope there’s a good jewelry maker around. Can you find someone? Discreet. That could make a convincible enough fake. I’m sure my father has a picture of the egg laying around, and he could also guide the maker.”

John nodded, and got up. “I didn’t mean now.” Danny said, but John didn’t sit down.

“The quicker, the better.” John replied easily. “If someone hears of this, then it could all go wrong.”

“You’re right.” Danny conceded. “While you’re at it, could you also find the people we need for this? I want someone driving us in and out. Someone to back you up, and a team ready to storm in if it comes to that.” They would probably need even more people, but those were the parts of the team he could think of off the top of his head.

John nodded again, and he went. It was a few hours before Danny decided he was gonna go stir-crazy if he didn’t do something, and he ordered his father’s men to stay behind. He could take care of himself, and he knew his way in New York. They had reluctantly let him go, not before they protested against it, and Danny had pulled the I’m your boss’ son card on them, because they hadn’t heard his little speech to John. John would have insisted on following me. That was why he was such a good weapon: his determination to see it all through to the end. He had only gone when Danny had asked because he understood that time was essential.

He walked down the streets, familiarizing himself with them again. A lot had changed, but it all remained the same; it all still reminded him of the home he’d once had before he’d understood he wasn’t just his father’s son, but Viggo Tarasov’s firstborn and expected heir.

_That_ had been a hard pill to swallow, and it had made him realize why it was that everyone except Rusty had been uneasy around him, why kids looked like thunder had struck them if they heard Danny speak russian to one of the bodyguards his father usually assigned to him. Danny was sixteen the day he decided he didn’t want people to know him as _Daniil Tarasov_ , and left New York to try and find himself. Fat good that had done him, because here he was, again. And there wouldn’t have been any other way, he guessed, what with serving the rest of his sentence in Jersey. They’d released him a week earlier, too, and Danny had known it couldn’t be Rusty’s doing.

But it wasn’t all bad. This gave him something to do, and put his mind on while he worked through the remnants of what had gone down between Tess and him. She had always been too good for him, so smart and so beautiful. Viggo would have liked her, but Tess would have hated knowing what his family did for a living. _So this is where you get it from_ , she’d had said. Or maybe not. She knew when to make it hurt, and when to leave it alone, and now, she wasn’t there for either. And she was probably never coming back.

He figured he deserved that. He had thought the robbery of the casinos through, and Rusty was his witness, but it _had_ been risky. A wiser man wouldn’t have gone for three at the same time, but Danny had never been known to be wise. If he were, he would have tried to run from John, refusing his father. If he were, he would have never violated his parole, knowing of the very real possibility his father would come find him.

There was no running from the Boogeyman, though. He had heard of John, before, back when his reputation had been building up. _They say you never see him coming, just like a boogeyman. If you want a job well done, you call John Wick_. Viggo never mentioned him on their occasional calls, even though it was also well known that fucking with Viggo meant fucking with John.

For a Boogeyman, he was a good man, Danny could tell. He was good at what he did, which is why he did it, and he probably owed Viggo something, but John Wick, for all the mystery around his person, was just a man, at the end of the day, and he hadn’t gotten on Danny’s nerves so far, so maybe he would come out of this one with the Baba Yaga’s friendship. _Not like my father would even let go of his leash_. But a man with John’s skills always came in handy for the kind of jobs Danny pulled.

His thoughts were interrupted by someone pulling him into a dark alley, a hand over his mouth so he couldn’t scream. He thought about fighting back, before he realized that would probably make it worse. Nothing stopped someone from squealing like getting shot did. Danny gasped, but went limp against whoever it was.

“Danny?” the person asked, and Danny recognized the voice.

He hit the back of the person’s hand until his mouth was free, and asked, “Perkins?”

“Well, I’ll be damned.” Perkins let go, and Danny turned around to find her smirking as if she’d just pulled some harmless prank, and not nearly given Danny a heart attack.

“I thought I was gonna die, asshole!” Danny whispered harshly. Perkins shrugged, and got off the wall of the alley to face the street. She seemed to scan the street for a minute before she turned around.

Perkins had also been one of Danny’s few acquaintances growing up. He’d never been as close to anyone as he was with Rusty, but there was no animosity between him or Perkins. At least not enough for her to kill him, or so Danny wanted to believe.

“Are you here--”

“No, I just heard you were in town. Wanted to see it for myself.” Perkins shrugged again. “Some people think you’re here to take over.”

It probably looked like that to outsiders who’d known of him, Danny realized. Viggo should have been more careful. “I’m not back for good. I’m visiting Viggo.”

“Oh, daddy dearest, of course--” and before Perkins could continue, she went still, staring at the end of the alley. It led to another street, Danny knew, but when he turned around, he found John Wick staring at them. “I should go.”

“No, wait.” Danny said, then raised a hand towards John in what he meant to be a soothing motion. Not unlike the calm before the storm, he felt. “She is an old friend.” he said in russian.

John looked between them, before his gaze fell on Danny again. He nodded tightly. “We should head back.”

“Perkins, wish we had more time to catch up.” Danny said, turning around to find Perkins still looking alarmed, but less tense. Danny didn’t know what had become of Perkins after he’d left the family business, but judging by the looks of it, she worked in the same field John did, and if you were a wetworks operative, there was no way you hadn’t heard of the Baba Yaga.

Perkins nodded, and went the opposite way. As Danny got closer to John, he noticed there was blood on his suit. A few drops, and John didn’t look like he’d been harmed, but blood nonetheless. “Had any trouble?”

“Some people want to know what Viggo’s son is doing around me.” John replied easily, stepping to the side as Danny got into the car, and closing the door before Danny could. He then went to get into the driver’s seat.

“Perkins was right about people gossipping, then.” Danny commented, and then remembered John had probably thought Perkins had been sent to kill him, which, maybe she could have been, but the whole thing made no sense to Danny. People were getting heated because of his return, but it wasn’t like he was the heir to anything. “Oh, Perkins was a childhood friend. Acquaintance. I knew her when we were younger. I don’t think she meant harm.” Unless the bounty on his head - if there was such a thing - was juicy enough, he guessed.

“People may think you were sent away. They know Vigo wouldn’t want his heir harmed--”

“I’m not--”

“I know that, but not everyone does,” John said, “Next time, just let some of the guys go with you. Or just wait for me.”  
“I haven’t forgotten how it works around here,” Danny replied, coming out a bit more defensive than he wanted to. John was right. The streets were full of hitmen looking for jobs, and, whether he liked it or not, he was Viggo’s son even if he wasn’t his heir. It had been careless of him to leave the house like that, but he wasn’t about to admit it. “Don’t worry, anyways. I’m leaving in what, three days? Or less, if we hurry it up. Not going to be your problem anymore.” Danny said, hoping it sounded like the truce he meant it to be.

John didn’t say anything, and they drove in silence to the safehouse.

-

 

“I can’t believe you, Danny.” Rusty breathed into the phone. He sounded mad, mad and worried. They had agreed to meet once Danny was released, and clearly that plan had been thwarted, but Danny had only just remembered to call Rusty. “You told me--”

“Well, Viggo didn’t exactly ask--” Danny replied.

“Then--”

“Yes, it’s a job.” Danny said, hit by the realization of how much he missed feeling normal. Being back into his father’s orbit just reminded him that he could never have the life he wanted to, but Rusty was a reminder that there was a world out there, a world where he could pretend he wasn’t a Tarasov. He’d missed this, their easy banter. It had only been two days and he already felt like he had no one to talk to, but then, he really didn’t have anyone to talk to. Poor John didn’t deserve to get his ear talked off, so Danny had tried to keep to himself. It was a good thing Rusty had picked up after the first ring. “You wouldn’t believe it, Rust--”

“Oh, trust me. Did he--”

“Yeah,” Rusty knew Viggo a bit too well, even though they hadn’t seen each other that often when they were younger, so he knew Viggo had probably stuck an entire security team on him. Growing up, Viggo hadn’t cared that much about Danny’s friends unless they were part of a rival family, and Rusty’s parents had only been civilians, so they had been allowed to become friends, Danny guessed. “A big name, too.”

Rusty didn’t know much about the world Danny had been born into, but he’d heard enough from Danny, and from the streets sometimes. “Tell me it isn’t--”

“How do you even know him?”

“Hasn’t he been working with your old man for a while now?” Rusty offered. Danny was speechless. So much for Rusty _not_ knowing things. “I know _things_ , Danny.”

“But this--”

“Well, everyone knows that your old man has a weapon he likes to yield to teach lessons.” Rusty explained, and Danny could almost see him shrugging. “A little bit of asking around, and it’s just not hard to assume Viggo would want only the best to guard you.”

At Danny’s silence, Rusty continued, “Has he--”

“No, no. He’s been fine. Gentle. Kind?”

“TMI,” Rusty teased. “Is he--”

“He works for my father, Rust,” Danny said, fake-offended. “You think I just go around sleeping with people? I’ll have you know--”

“It _is_ kind of your style,” Rusty said. “And it’d be good, to get your mind off things, especially after--”

_Tess_. “You’re right, but--”

“I’m not saying take the boogeyman out for coffee, just--” Rusty hummed. “Just don’t--”

“I won’t do either. You are incorrigible.” Danny said.

“I miss you too, Danny.” Rusty admitted. Affection had never been easy for Danny until Rusty. Viggo loved him, but he thought affection made the heart soft, and there was no place for a soft heart in the bratva. Rusty had shown Danny that emotions weren’t anything to be afraid of, and although his thing with Tess had ended badly, she had also been understanding when it came to Danny’s inexperience with ‘grown-up emotions’ as she liked to put it.

“See you when I see you, Rust.” Danny said, and hung up once Rusty also said goodbye.

He leaned against the couch. His father was probably the only person who still used landlines, but Danny knew that it was the only phone that was 100% not bugged, so there had been no choice. He was about to close his eyes when he saw John going down the stairs. He’d been sleeping off the minor injuries from his earlier encounter with whoever it was that was looking for Danny.

“Holding up fine?” Danny asked, and John nodded, as he walked towards the couch. He plopped down on the one opposite Danny. It was a good sign. John didn’t seem to trust anyone, really, but at least this meant he’d taken Danny’s advice to heart and was trying to work around it.

“Sleep usually helps.” John added. “And no one makes a lot of noise around here, so it’s good.”

“Oh, sorry if I woke you.” Danny said. He’d forgotten, what with the fact that he’d been excited while talking to Rusty. As far as he remembered, he’d kept his voice at an acceptable volume, but maybe John was just easy to wake.

“It’s fine, you didn’t.” John replied. “Friend of yours?”

“Friend and partner in crime.” Danny said fondly. “He was supposed to meet me this week once I got released. I was just letting him know about the change in plans.

“Oh,” John said, “How long?”

Danny laughed when it took him a second too long to reply and catch John’s drift. “Oh, no--no, it’s not like that.” People often assumed, and John wouldn’t be the first or the last. Danny got it, especially because he had loved Rusty like that once, and it probably hadn’t been entirely unrequited, but the time had never been right, and before he knew, he’d met Tess. And now, here he was. “He’s always been my best friend.”

John nodded, but he looked like he was still thinking of it. “Is he okay? Do you want to bring him here?”

Danny considered it, for a minute, but Viggo was right. He couldn’t risk anyone being seen with him and then dragging them into the whole mess. It wouldn’t be fair, and though Rusty knew, it wouldn’t be fair to him either. Danny was the only one who had to carry the weight of his name on his shoulders, and it would stay that way. “Not really,” Danny looked at John, and John didn’t look away. He had pretty dark brown eyes. Calm, for someone who had seen so much. “He’s the best to run point, but he’s not part of this.” he gestured at the air around them. “Rusty is just… a normal person, I guess. He’s also a thief but he never got involved. If you asked Viggo, he would tell you.” Although who knew if his father remembered Rusty from Danny’s childhood. If he did, he barely recalled.

“I would have been in charge of him too.” John replied, and Danny knew what he meant to say: nothing would have happened. _But the Baba Yaga is not a guardian angel, just a weapon_. And yet he stood there, offering to protect Danny’s best friend even though he’d heard Viggo’s refusal when Danny had asked to assemble his own team.

“It’s fine.” Danny said, and then decided to change the subject. He hated to admit it, but he really missed all those bastards. The quicker he got out of here, the better. “Oh, Viggo sent some of his fancy stuff to drink. Care to join?” Danny said before he got up to go to the kitchen, but the saw John out of the corner of his eye. “I’ll just go get that.”

He came back with two glasses full of ice and some of the whiskey Viggo had sent. Viggo favored whiskey and vodka, but he knew Danny didn’t particularly care for the latter. It was a rare gesture, for a father that hadn’t given him gifts for his birthdays, but Danny knew it was more of Viggo’s plan to convince him to stay to help out Iosef, if he insisted on not taking over himself. “I think there’s something else in the kitchen if you don’t feel up to this.” Danny said, pouring himself a glass.

“This is fine,” John said, and Danny poured him a glass too, sitting down again and setting down the bottle of whiskey on the coffee table.

“Is this the first time you’re working on something like this?” Danny asked even though he knew the answer. Viggo only called upon John to whisper names so John could take care of them.

“Yes. Viggo usually only sends me on missions to kill people.” John deadpanned, but Danny knew he only did it because he couldn’t take the job personally. The man would have lost his mind by now, if he did.

“Well, you don’t have anything to worry about. This is just: going in, going out.” Danny offered even though John didn’t need any kind of pep talk. He’d seen stuff Danny couldn’t even begin to imagine.

“Are you worried?” John asked, reading the mood. It was the first time it’d happened, too. Usually, Danny could read him, almost the way he did Rusty, but not quite as good, and now, here he was, getting soothed by the Boogeyman.

“Hm.” Danny said, then took a sip of his glass. “Not really.”

“You’re lying.” John said. Teasingly. _Teasingly_. Danny looked at him, and he was smirking behind his own glass.

Danny chuckled. “You-- _you joked_.” Danny laughed again. “Maybe I am. Maybe I’m not.” He definitely was. Viggo had told him that this was the kind of job you came out of alive and unharmed, or dead. The security was just that tight, and Danny had never seen anything like that.

“I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I’m going to be there the entire time. You don’t have to worry so much.” John said, sounding like he meant it. “I don’t really know how these go, but if you’re as good as you say you are…”

Danny then went on a rant about how he’d managed to pull the robbery of three casinos at the same time, and John shared some stories of his own about how he’d gained his reputation as the Baba Yaga. It was nice, seeing John relax and talk to him as if they were old friends.

But it also wasn’t helping the elephant in the room: his attraction to this very, very attractive man. John was a bit taller than him, well-built, with a face that probably belonged on the cover of high fashion magazines, and Danny, well, Danny had always been weak for pretty people, and that had always gotten him into more trouble than it was worth. John Wick should’ve come with a sign that read “More Trouble Than He’s Worth”, but in Danny’s mind, affected by alcohol, that sign just turned into “Handsome Trouble”, and it couldn’t end good. He could almost hear Rusty’s voice: _Don’t, Danny. He works for your father. He’s a hired gun. What, you think you’re just gonna fall into bed together, and then fall in love? It doesn’t work like that._ Not that Danny was that naïve, but it was a very-Rusty-thing to say.

He thanked Imaginary Rusty, and decided to call it a night. He’d had a few drinks and if he drank any more, then, so much for listening to Imaginary Rusty’s advice. “I think I’d better head out to bed,” he didn’t even know what time it was, but it was dark outside, and they had a day more to go before they carried out the hit on the safehouse the egg was kept in. Danny got up, and stumbled a bit, which made John also get up from his seat, seemingly unaffected compared to Danny.

“I’ll help you up the stairs.” John offered.

“I’m not a kid.”

“What do you think will happen if you bust your ass? Viggo will want to beat mine.” John said, but there wasn’t bite to his words. Danny realized, once again, almost startlingly, that John was teasing him.

He smiled against his will. “Fine, but no funny stuff.” he joked.

He didn’t notice John had tensed up, and they made their way to the stairs, where John was just behind Danny, not holding onto him, just watching his steps to make sure he wouldn’t miss and fall down the stairs.

For all Danny was very conscious of their proximity, he didn’t feel awkward, even though they were a bit less of strangers than they had initially been. Danny could even say they were acquaintances now. That kind of thing tended to happen after a couple of drinks.

The rest of the short way to his room went in comfortable silence, and once they had reached the door, Danny turned around to catch John’s very handsome face close to his own. John stepped back, and under the dim lighting of the hall, it was even more obvious just how much of a handsome man he truly was. _You don’t really look like a boogeyman._

Apparently he hadn’t kept the thought to himself, because John chuckled. It was the first time Danny’d heard him laugh. “What are boogeymen supposed to look like?”

They were frightening creatures at death’s behest, and they didn’t have kind eyes. Even though he’d heard the many tales behind the Baba Yaga, Danny didn’t find him as frightening as he’d once thought him. “Not like you.” Danny admitted.

John didn’t step back again. He inched closer, the tiniest, blink-it-and-you-miss-it bit. Danny wondered if he was seeing things where there wasn’t anything to see.

“Danny,” John said. It was then that Danny realized he’d also stepped closer into John’s personal space.

_So much for listening to imaginary Rusty_ , he thought, before he stepped closer, and kissed John.

He’d imagined John not quite as gentle as he was being, but then, outside from his role as _The Ghost_ , as the italians called him, John Wick had, so far, been a surprisingly kind, gentle, quiet man. The kind you brought home to your parents and the kind that hated Danny’s guts after the deed was done. Danny’s hands found his way to John’s hair, and he tried to press them closer until he couldn’t tell who was who. John put his hands on Danny’s hips, and he didn’t push back as Danny thought he would do.

“Care to join?” Danny asked, breathless once they broke apart.

John followed him into his room.

-

The next morning, as his back was pressed against John’s chest, Imaginary Rusty’s words played over and over in his head.

_You were drunk, and you miss Tess, and this could be good for you, maybe? I think?_ Imaginary Rusty suggested again. This suggestion he dismissed. What good could come from it? His father’s hold on John’s leash would tighten. Danny wouldn’t be able to leave New York--and maybe he was getting too ahead of himself. This could be just a one time thing. Just something that took his mind off the downward spiral his life had taken even though he’d successfully pulled an impossible heist.

_Don’t knock it ‘till you try it._ Danny mentally shushed Imaginary Rusty, and decided to pretend he was still asleep. Judging by the way John’s chest fell and rose while breathing in, he was still sleeping. Once they were both awake, it didn’t have to mean anything.

Danny closed his eyes. He dreamed of the kiss they had shared, and when he woke up, John was gone, but the spot next to him was still warm. This was probably the first time he hadn’t bailed first. _Well, it’s my room_. And it wasn’t like John kept his things in Danny’s room.

He got dressed and went down the stairs, where breakfast was waiting for him. Eggs and pancakes and coffee and no John in sight. Danny wondered if perhaps his tongue had ran and he’d said something he hadn’t meant to say. Or maybe he’d been so bad John couldn’t look him in the face. He had drank more than he should have, but John also didn’t look the type to just avoid someone because of that.

He decided to stop playing the what-if game, and sat down to eat. He’d call Rusty later. Ask him his honest opinion on how he’d planned out the operation, and then, he’d spent the rest of the day either reading or… or just resting, preparing for what was to come. Viggo trusted him, and John had gotten the best of the best for the team. Nothing had to go wrong, but he felt uneasy about the fact he had planned this without the other ten.

He was so deep in thought he didn’t notice John entering the kitchen, and once he did, he almost choked on his cup of coffee. “You should use a bell, god,” Danny said, taking a napkin to wipe at the corner of his mouth. There was a reason John got called ghost, because he was actually as quiet as one when he wanted to be.

“Sorry,” John said, sitting opposite Danny. Their knees bumped against each other, a tell-tale sign that John, after their encounter, was still relaxed around Danny, and even trusted him more, perhaps, and Danny almost flinched, but he decided to remain as calm as possible. “Did something happen?”

“What? No,” Danny said, snappier than he’d meant for it come off. “I was just. Thinking. I have to call Rusty to ask him about our game plan.”

John hummed. “And after that?”

Was he-- “Well, it’s not like there’s much to do around here.” Danny admitted. Around the corner there was a bakery, and a convenience store, both managed by people who worked for Viggo, and nothing else. He’d walked around, letting himself be shadowed by the other bodyguards that didn’t stay outside the house, and had promptly gotten bored. The planning had taken his attention off the fact he was bored out of his mind.

And there had also been John. Before Danny could help himself, he spoke, “Wanna go for a ride? I didn’t really see that much last time I met Perkins.”

John smiled, and Danny could tell it was sincere. He suddenly didn’t feel like it had to be awkward between them. Just a friendly, one time thing.

“Just let me call Rusty and then we’ll be good to go.” Danny said.

Once he was done with breakfast, John went up the stairs again, probably trying to give Danny some semblance of privacy, considerate as he was. It wasn’t like Danny was planning to scream into the phone, because he also wanted to discuss what had happened between John and him with Rusty. Danny dialed, and the phone beeped a few times before Rusty was answering on the other end of the line.

“You did it, didn’t you?” Rusty asked teasingly. Danny could picture his dumb, shit-eating grin. He smiled despite himself. “Oh, Danny.” He could also imagine the accompanying Rusty Head Shake that went with the words.

“Well--”

“Things just happen.”

“They do, and--”

“You both had drinks.” Rusty then sounded concerned. “But--”

“He was a gentleman if you are so curious.” Danny hadn’t been drunk enough to not know that was what he wanted. John had stopped in the middle of their activities to ask if he was okay. Multiple times, actually, enough times that Danny had sobered up a bit to tell him to just shut up and get on with it.

“Oh, Danny.” Rusty said again, this time sounding amused. “Does--”

“Why would my father know?”

“I don’t know, maybe he--”

“Oh, come on, Rust,” and then, before they could go back and forth to tease each other about the bees and the birds, Danny remembered the original intention of the call. “I need your opinion on--”

“You got drivers? Security? Someone to go in with you? Intel? Multiple ways out? A fake?” Rusty asked. Danny smiled. God, he _really_ missed the bastard. The job would have gone so much more smoothly if Rusty had been there. “I know you miss me.”

“You know me so well,” Danny said. “And yes. Do you think--”

“Nothing’s gonna go wrong, Danny.” Rusty replied before Danny could finish. “If you don’t trust yourself, trust me. It’ll be fine. Besides, you have your little--”

“Stop it. This wasn’t--he _isn’t_ \--”

“Hey, have you noticed that half the folks who meet you fall in love with you?” Danny didn’t have anything to say to that. “Hell, Benedict is probably a _little_ in love with you.”

“Rusty…”

“I said this could be good for you. Don’t overthink it. If it happens--”

“It happens.” Danny added, and sighed. “Thank you, Rust. See you when I see you.” Danny heard the click when Rusty hung up, but he didn’t put down the phone. He brought it against his forehead, and closed his eyes. _I hope I didn’t just do something I’ll regret._ He wasn’t supposed to overthink, so he was going to try, even though the rest of the day would be spent by John’s side, because Danny couldn’t keep his mouth shut. He put down the phone, and stared at it for a bit before he got up, and walked to the end of the stairs. “John,” he called out. “I’m ready to go if you’re still up to it.”

John came out of his room. “Any idea of where you wanna go?”

Danny walked to couch to get his coat, and picked up his keys and phone from the coffee table. “I don’t know. Surprise me. I just wanted to walk around, maybe grab a bite. I’ve been near New York before, even after I left home, but a lot has changed.”

“I know just the place.” John said. When they went out, he explained the situation to the other guys in russian, and then he turned to Danny. “Do you wanna drive?”

Danny hadn’t driven around New York in a while, and though the offer was tempting, he declined. They got inside the car, and he thought that maybe John would just drive around and eventually settle on some place for lunch. Danny didn’t really mind.

As John started the car, Danny was glad it all seemed to be alright between them. The silence was comfortable enough he didn’t feel the need to fill it with small talk, and John wasn’t one to do the same.

He kept thinking of the job. He would go in, get the Fabergé egg and replace it, and then get out. John would take care of the people that guarded the safehouse, and a car would pick them up. Then, they’d meet Viggo at The Continental, deliver the egg, and Danny would get safe passage out of New York. Maybe spend some days at The Continental in Italy, or wherever he wanted to, Viggo had told him. Better to go out of the States for a few days, wait to see if it would die down or just spark into something else. Danny had only agreed because meeting with Rusty or any of the others could put them at risk, and he’d decided to think of it as some kind of holiday. A few days away couldn’t harm him.

“What did your friend say? If you don’t mind me asking.” John asked, softly enough that Danny didn’t get abruptly pulled away from his thoughts.

“Oh, he just said that we’re good to go.” Danny replied. He was suddenly very aware, yet again, that John was a handsome man. Who’d slept with Danny and had, so far, been chill about it.

“You said he runs point for you, right?”

“Not always, but yes. If I can imagine it, Rusty can make it happen.” On their own, they were good, but when they worked together, Danny and Rusty were the best in the business. It would have been nice for the call to have lasted longer, but Danny hadn’t wanted John to think he was avoiding him.

“You miss him.” John said, his tone neutral but something in it that Danny couldn’t quite put his finger on.

Danny knew there was no point lying, not only because he did, but also because John seemed to be good at sniffing out lies. “Yeah, but it’s not--we’re not attached to the hip.” Quite the contrary, they could go long periods of time without contacting each other, and their almost psychic bond remained in place, untouched and unbothered. Some people found it creepy, but the fact that he had such a good friend in Rusty brought Danny comfort, especially in a world where thieves were often the best liars, and Danny could count with one hand the number of times Rusty had lied to him.

John hummed, a non-committed sound, like he had just been told about the weather, and took a right turn. Danny looked out of the window and suspected John was probably taking them to Central Park. Usually, he’d protest such a tourist-y place, but he felt like a walk would do him good. The most stretching his legs had gotten these days had been his small walks around the house and around the neighborhood. Hopefully, a walk would also tire him out early enough that he’d avoid thinking about kissing John again.

Still, he asked, “Central Park?” John nodded, and before he could ask if Danny would like to go somewhere else, Danny said, “That’s fine. Feel like taking a walk anyways. Dinner after?”

“What are you thinking?” John asked.

“Some good ol’ New York style pizza.” they had eaten pizza on his first day at the job, but it had been some chain restaurant’s version of pizza, and Danny had been left craving authentic NY pizza since. He didn’t want to leave without tasting it at least once. “If that’s okay.” he added, remembering John could be sick of it, given he spent most of his time in NYC. He was probably sick of it.

But John, ever the considerate man he was, just nodded. “I know a place.”

John parked the car, and their walk to the park was also quiet. Danny had wanted to start a conversation, but nothing came to mind, and asking about things like the weather or what John thought about living in New York felt too much like the kinds of questions you asked when you wanted to avoid the elephant in the room, and he didn’t want to get more in his head about what had happened than he already was. He wasn’t actively pretending it hadn’t happened, but he could always pretend it would be easy to forget.

John was actually the one who spoke up first, as they made their way through the park. “Are you nervous?”

The hit was happening the next day, during the night. John and the team were taking care of the guards, and Danny was going to be the one to get inside and steal the egg, closely followed by John exclusively. They had considered letting another guard follow them inside, but Danny trusted only John to not betray the operation. The rest could always be bought, but as Viggo had told him, John was a sure way out of there. After getting the egg back, getting out would be easier.

“A little bit.” Danny admitted. There was no point in denying it, and admitting it, yet again, out loud, made it easier to envision all the ways in which the operation could work out. He’d gone over each and every step, and Rusty had reassured him. He only felt doubt because the other ten weren’t there, helping him out, but he’d reminded himself that he’d pulled jobs without them, before, and that he had another team that were supposed to be, if not as good, then close to it. His rational mind knew there was little to be worried about, but Danny still worried. “It’s just weird. That I’m doing this and not even Rusty is here.”

“I think it’ll be fine.” John assured him. Ever since they’d touched on the topic, he hadn’t mentioned it again, but perhaps he’d thought it prudent to do so given there was little time before the operation. And it helped, because he sounded confident. Danny tried to think of a time the Baba Yaga had ever failed, but came up empty-handed. John Wick always got the job done, and Danny Ocean did too. It would be fine. “Aren’t you the best thief in the world?”

Danny actually laughed at that, a hearty laugh that made his shoulders shake. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw John smile softly, too. “Well, I guess I am.” And it wasn’t that well known because Benedict hadn’t exactly made a point out of publicizing how he’d gotten played by his girlfriend’s ex husband. In time, though, Danny and the others would be famous for that stunt. “If you keep saying things like that, my ego’s going to grow, and the lord knows it doesn’t need to grow even bigger.”

“Now you’re playing humble.” John retorted. “And after this…”

Danny got the unasked question. He hadn’t really told John what would happen once the job was done. Viggo had kept it under wraps, but Danny saw no reason to not tell John. “I’m leaving. Safe passage.” he said, not wanting to give away any more for the sole reason they were in public.

John nodded solemnly. “I was thinking--” he cleared his throat, and Danny already saw That Conversation coming. The one where they discussed what their night together had meant, and he wasn’t looking forward to it, but short of running away, there was not much else to do but avoid it. “If you--wanted to go out for a drink, once the job is done.”

John Wick was asking him out on a date. A serious, proper date. The kind people who weren’t them went on, to get to know each other and see if the thing between them would go somewhere else.

Danny could hear his heart beating in his ears, and he damned the fact that he got flushed very easily. “Um, we could. We could? I’m not opposed to the idea.”

And he really wasn’t. It was just--awkward. John was Viggo’s employee, and Danny knew, that although Viggo didn’t have any hold over him, he would probably not approve of Danny getting involved with John. He voiced his concern before he had the time to think it through, “Aren’t you worried about Viggo?” and he hoped it came off as pure curiosity, and not confrontational. Danny was old enough to deny someone without having to back it up with the promise of his father’s intimidation.  “I mean, I never--he never met any of my other partners--and I really don’t know--”

“We don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, Danny--”

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Danny said sincerely, because anyone would be out of their minds to not recognize John Wick was, as it was said, a goddamn catch. “It’s just--you probably know this, but I’m divorced. Recently, too. And Viggo--”

“Forget I asked,” was John’s abrupt comment, but he didn’t sound mad, just resigned.

“I’m not saying no,” Danny said firmly. “I’m just saying--asking if whatever this is could go… well, we’re not going steady, but, you know.” Slower. He’d meant slower. Truth was, he was wary not only of Viggo’s reaction, but he also didn’t know if he could handle getting into another thing just as his relationship with Tess had ended. He didn’t want to hurt John, or pretend like he could give John something he couldn’t. Danny didn’t know about John, but like most people, he probably appreciated honesty above all before getting into another _thing_. God, Danny needed a new term for whatever it was between John and him.

“So it’s not a no, but it’s not a yes.” John confirmed.

Danny nodded. “Best I can do for you now. I’m sorry.” Because John was a good man who deserved a chance, but Danny wasn’t sure he was that. He didn’t want to think about it too much, so close to the hit. “I’ll have an answer once this is over and done with.”

John shrugged. “I’d expected a solid no, so I’ll take what I can get.”

Danny blinked. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  
John shrugged again, “Danny, I mean, have you looked at yourself? I never expect people who look like you to--to sleep with people like me?”

Danny chuckled, hoping his blush would be attributed to laughter and nothing else, but John was _ridiculous._ He was the one who probably hadn’t had a good look at himself in the mirror in some time. “You’re fishing.” he teased.

John frowned. “What--”

“Oh, come on, don’t make me say it.”

“I swear, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re attractive. _Handsome_ , alright? I don’t believe no one has told you before.”

“Well, it’s not like in my line of work people just stop to say you’re handsome before they shoot at you.” John explained, and it did make sense to Danny, but he still couldn’t believe no one had ever tried to hit on John Wick before him, or at least confirmed they found him attractive. “You think I’m handsome?”

“Maybe all assassins should give out compliments before they get done with the deed. ‘Hey, I liked your jacket’, and _boom_.” Danny mimicked a gun using his hands, and John chuckled.

“You didn’t answer my question.” John pointed out.

Danny kept ignoring him. “Has no one ever told you this?” Maybe someone had, in a not-so-forward way, and it had flown over John’s head.

“Not really.” John said.

Danny laughed again. “See? You _are_ fishing.”

He caught John’s eye, and they both broke into laughter. It felt nice, and when things felt nice, Danny knew they couldn’t last long.

-

The next morning went by without a hitch, and they spent the better part of the evening preparing for the hit. John assured him the team that would be getting them out would arrive the second they were out of safehouse the egg was kept in.

When night arrived, they went. Danny had insisted on John driving them and had taken note of the driver staying behind instead of accompanying them. He texted Viggo about it. If the driver turned out to be a traitor, he would be Viggo’s to handle.

Once they arrived to the building, Danny found that the blueprints Viggo had provided them with had been accurate. He left the rest to John.

He had heard tales about the precision and fastness with which the Baba Yaga carried out his jobs, but to see it in action… the nickname made a lot more sense now. You didn’t see John Wick coming until you were looking down the barrel of a gun, and then, well, it was obviously too late.

“Who’s disposing of them?” Danny asked, careful to walk around the bodies John left in his wake. The original plan had been to let them live if they didn’t shoot first, but when faced with the Baba Yaga, most of the guards opened fire.

“There’s a cleaning service.” John explained, then stopped in front of a door. “This is the room where they keep the egg.”

Picking on the locks that kept the egg ‘safe’ had been the easiest part out of the whole thing. Danny had thought that maybe they kept it safe using a more sophisticated security system, but whoever had set it up hadn’t even thought of fingerprint scanning, or a laser system. If he hadn’t been the one to steal it, someone else would have.

“I got it.” Danny said, taking the egg into his hand and saving it in the box Viggo had given them. John handed over the fake one, and Danny put it in place. It was such a good replica, whoever had stolen it from Viggo would wonder why someone had made such a mess of their safehouse just to leave the egg in place. “Let’s get out of here.”

The team that was supposed to get them out arrived just in time, and although the operation had been rather discreet, Danny had expected a full-on car chase, but their ride to The Continental was uneventful.

He hadn’t realized he was trembling until they were in The Continental’s lobby. Charon pointed it out before Danny realized. “Perhaps Mr. Tarasov would like some tea.”

Danny took a second too long to answer, because no one called him Mr. Tarasov. That was how they referred to his father. He swallowed around a dry mouth. “And maybe dinner and water.” His stomach, too, felt painfully empty. He’d never had an adrenaline hit like the one he was experiencing, and maybe it had to do with the fact none of his other jobs had involved the amount of guns this one had involved.

He made sure to thank Charon before they went to their assigned rooms. Danny had heard of The Continental growing up, and he’d stayed there once, for his safety. His father had left him with a team of bodyguards while whatever petty war he’d gotten himself into calmed down, but his memories of that time were vague, and unclear. Besides, even though The Continental seemed to exist in a place where time didn’t really pass or count, it had changed in the smallest details. Some of its design was more up to date, but the structure of it remained much the same from what Danny could remember. He focused on trying to recall whatever he could, and on his breaths.

Something similar had happened after Vegas, but no one had been there to watch. Food and sleep usually helped to calm him down.

“Danny? Are you alright?” John asked, concerned.

“Yeah, just. I think I’m coming down from an adrenaline rush, but it’ll pass quickly.” He admitted. They were in front of their rooms, and in a few hours, Danny was supposed to leave for Italy, and he knew he shouldn’t make any promises but he felt like telling John that they could have that drink, after all. Instead, he found himself saying, “Good night, John. And thank you. For everything.”

John nodded solemnly and smiled at Danny. “You’ll be ok?” He asked, and although he knew Danny would leave, he didn’t know when it’d happen, so the question felt like a permanent goodbye.

“Yeah, yeah, this doesn’t last long.” As far as he could remember. The aftermath of his adrenaline rush during the Vegas job had passed quickly enough. “Sleep tight.”

“You too, Danny.”

He threw himself on his bed once he’d closed the door behind him. His eyes instantly felt heavy, and he was starting to feel sleepy, the events of the day truly weighing down on him. In a few hours, someone would knock at his door, and take him to a secret passage through which he would have access to transport. It would all be safe, and then, Danny would be in Italy, away from his family and the name he had been born into again.

Away from John Wick.

It seemed unnecessarily cruel, to go without letting John know. Danny had told him, but he hadn’t named a date, and perhaps, John suspected, but it still felt wrong, especially when John had been kind and polite, and Danny had promised to consider his proposition.

He knew that, like most hotels, The Continental provided its guests with a notepad and a pen. He got up, and looked for those in the nightstand, took advantage of the small table to write on it. Winston would have no problem passing the message along. He kept the note in his pocket, decided to give it to Winston once he came by.

When he went to sleep, he didn’t dream, and a few hours after, just a bit before dawn, someone knocked at his door. Danny got up, and found Winston and a team of other Continental employees with him.

“It is time, Daniil.” Winston said, formal as ever. Danny didn’t have many memories involving the manager of The Continental from his brief stay as a teenager, but he knew Winston rarely, if ever, lied. He would be safe.

He also knew it was pointless to try and get the man to call him Danny. He nodded. “Lead the way.”

“My team will take you to your transportation. Your accommodation for when you arrive to Italy has also been taken care of.” Winston said. “Anything else I can do for you, Daniil?”

Danny got the note out of his pocket. “Could you please pass this along to John Wick? It’s not urgent, but--” he shrugged. Winston didn’t know of his _thing_ with John, but he was very intuitive, and Danny had heard rumors of how he favored John, treated almost like his son. If he wanted to, he could probably get John to talk. He handed Winston the note, that had been neatly folded and said _For John Wick._

Winston nodded and then smiled, like he knew something Danny didn’t. “Wouldn’t you like to say goodbye?” he suggested.

Danny thought of it, but saying goodbye to John would have felt too permanent when he knew - or felt like - he would see John again. Hopefully. Maybe he was taking too much for granted, but he hoped the note hadn’t been too presumptuous.

Danny shrugged again. “It’s fine. Don’t want to keep your team waiting.”

Winston nodded. “I will deliver this to John. Have a safe trip, Daniil.”

“Thank you for everything, Winston. The Tarasov family will not forget this.” it felt weird to use his family name in such a way, but that was how deals were made in this world, and family name had a lot of weight. Even if the Tarasovs didn’t hold a High Table seat, Danny knew they were quickly rising through the ranks, and it was, in part, thanks to John’s efficiency.

He determined himself to not think too much of John like some lovesick teenager, and followed Winston’s team. In a few hours, he would set foot in Rome, and those hours were more than enough to start thinking of his next heist.

-

Somehow, John had known he would wake up to find Danny gone. Danny had told him he would be leaving for his safety, but he hadn’t been expecting it to be so soon. He understood, but it hurt a little, that Danny hadn’t told him.

But then, why would he have had to? They were nothing and John was being ridiculous. Or so he told himself, as he walked to the lobby to check out.

“Everything alright, Mr. Wick?” Charon asked.

John nodded. “Everything was fine as usual.”

“I have a message for you,” Charon said, sliding a note on the counter. John could see it said _For John Wick_ in writing he couldn’t recognize. He frowned. “The manager asked me to pass this along.”

Could it be a message from Winston? What could it be that he hadn’t been able to tell John in person? John took the note, and put it inside his pocket before he thanked Charon.

He didn’t read it until he made it home, and when he opened it, there was just one sentence written on it: _See you in Rome._

It hadn’t been signed, but John knew who it was from. He shook his head and smiled.

He would have to ask Viggo for some time off.


End file.
